Cosmeceutical formulation containing palm oils

ABSTRACT

A cosmeceutical formulation is provided that includes a mixture of a refined, bleached, deodorized (RBD) palm oils and red palm olein. The resulting formulation is a homogeneous blend with a considerable shelf life. The formulation may be a cream, lotion, sunscreen, or a soap and may be formulated to include additional beneficial oils and EFAs. If a cream formulation is desired, RBD palm stearin is the preferred palm oil for producing a creamy texture. If a lotion is desired, RBD palm oil may be used and chemically modified to produce a tailored oil with a desired melting point and consistency. The formulation may be used to treat a variety of skin conditions including adverse and age-related skin conditions or as an effective moisturizer for the prolonged maintenance of ordinary skin.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation and claims the benefit of priority ofU.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/855,681, filed May 26, 2004, whichpursuant to 35 U.S.C. §119 (e) (1) claims priority to U.S. ProvisionalApplication Ser. No. 60/475,217 filed May 30, 2003; the disclosures ofwhich priority applications are herein incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to cosmeceutical formulations andmethods for improving the appearance, feel, comfort, or biologicalfunctioning of the skin. More specifically, the invention relates tocosmeceutical formulations comprising palm oil and red palm olein andits application to the skin for cosmetic reasons and for the treatmentof various physical, environmental, and medical skin conditions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

As humans age, physical, environmental, and medical conditions affectthe quality and appearance of skin. Wrinkles are the most common skincondition associated with physical aging. Dermatologists and plasticsurgeons describe two types of wrinkles—static and dynamic. Staticwrinkles are wrinkles associated with advancing age; they are caused bythe thinning and stretching of the skin over time and are alwaysvisible, regardless of whether the facial muscles are active or resting.Dynamic wrinkles are not associated with the aging process; they aretemporary wrinkles caused by the creasing of skin and are visible onlywhen the facial muscles are active. Other skin conditions associatedwith aging are dry skin and liver spots. In addition to aging, dietaryswings are another physical condition that affects the quality andappearance of skin. With the stretching of the skin during periods ofweight gain and the relaxation of the skin during periods of weightloss, the skin loses its elasticity.

Environmental conditions that affect the skin include exposure to thesun and tobacco smoke. Overexposure to sunlight results in photodamage(also called photoaging), a condition that affects both the epidermaland dermal layers of the skin. Specifically, in the epidermis,photodamage results in the thinning of the epidermal layer of the skinand may also cause the growth of skin lesions, such as actinickeratoses, basal cell carcinomas, and squamous cell carcinomas. In thedermis, photodamage results in an accelerated rate of collagendegeneration resulting in premature aging. With the destruction of thecollagen fibers in the dermal layer, sun-induced elastin accumulates inthe skin producing large quantities of metalloproteinase enzymes.Normally, metalloproteinases remodel sun-injured skin by manufacturingand reforming collagen; this process does not always work well to repairdamaged skin as some metalloproteinases may actually break downcollagen. The result of this imperfect repair process is the formationof disorganized collagen fibers known as solar scars. With prolonged andcontinuous sun exposure, the imperfect rebuilding of the skin by thisprocess results in wrinkles. Exposure to tobacco also has a detrimentaleffect on the condition of the skin. It has been found that thechemicals inhaled form cigarette smoke constrict the blood vessels inthe skin resulting in a diminished flow of oxygen to facial tissues. Thereduced flow of oxygen to the facial skin of smokers may result inpremature wrinkling and a grayish pallor.

Medical conditions that affect the skin are widespread and include suchconditions as acne, acne scarring, rosacea, psoriasis, and eczema.Despite years of research and a myriad of products designed to addressthese common skin disorders, they remain common conditions that aredifficult to cure or to control.

Compositions including vitamins A and E have been touted as effectivefor the treatment of skin conditions and the reduction in the appearanceof wrinkles. The term vitamin A is the generic term to describe theclass of fat-soluble compounds known as retinols. The retinols, one ofthe most active forms of vitamin A, are found in animal foods such asliver and eggs. Retinols, however, are not the only source of vitamin A;the provitamin A carotenoids (also called “carotenoids”) found in thedarkly colored pigments of some plant foods convert to vitamin A withinthe body and are thus, another source of vitamin A. The carotenoids aredefined by their chemical structure. The majority of carotenoids arederived from a 40-carbon polyene chain, which could be considered thebackbone of the molecule. The polyene chain may be terminated by cyclicend-groups and may be complemented with oxygen-containing functionalgroups. Hydrocarbon carotenoids are known as carotenes. Some commoncarotenes include beta-carotene, found in carrots; alpha-carotene, foundin palm oil; beta-cryptoxanthin, found in red bell peppers and citrusfruits; and lypocene, found primarily in tomatoes. The structure of aparticular carotenoid determines the biological function of the pigment.For example, the distinctive pattern of alternating single and doublebonds in the polyene backbone of the carotenoids is what allows thecompounds to absorb excess energy from other molecules, while the natureof the specific end groups on the carotenoids influences the polarity ofthe compound. The former may account for the antioxidant properties ofbiological carotenoids, while the latter may explain the differences inthe ways that individual carotenoids interact with biological membranes.Vitamin A and carotenoids play an important role in vision, bone growth,reproduction, cell division, and cell differentiation. These compoundshelps to maintain the integrity of skin and mucous membranes and thus,it helps to protect the skin from elements that damage the skin, such asthe environmental factors described above, as well as bacteria andviruses, which are the causes of many medical skin conditions, such asthose described above. Despite its beneficial effects, the carotenoidshave not been successfully used in topical formulations because thepigments of these compounds produce severe skin discoloration.

The term vitamin E is the generic term to describe the class offat-soluble compounds known as tocols and tocotrienols. The term“tocopherol” is a generic descriptor for all mono-, di-, andtrimethyltocols. Alpha-tocopherol is one of the most active tocopherols;it is found in vegetable oils, nuts, and green leafy vegetables.Tocotrienols differ from tocopherols in that the former have anunsaturated isoprenoid side chain. Palm oil is the richest naturalsource of tocotrienols, and unlike tocopherol, is not found in most ofthe other vegetable oils such as soybean oil, canola oil, corn oil, andcottonseed oil. Within palm oil, tocotrienols make up about 70% of thetotal vitamin E in the oil while tocopherols make up only 30% of thetotal vitamin E in the oil. Both tocopherols and tocotrienols have beenfound to be powerful biological antioxidant in humans. Antioxidants actto protect cells against the effects of free radicals—those potentiallydamaging by-products of the body's metabolism that can cause cellulardamage. In addition to its anti-oxidant properties, the tocotrienolshave been found to be effective at penetrating lipid membranes. The useof tocotrienols for treating or preventing skin damage was disclosed inU.S. Pat. No. 5,545,398 to Perricone.

As a carrier of large quantities of carotenoids, tocopherols, andtocotrienols, palm oil is a desirable vehicle for the delivery of thesevitamins to the skin. The use of palm oil in skin care formulations,however, has not been successful because palm oil has a very slow rateof crystallization, which continues even after processing. As a resultof the continued crystallization, products containing palm oil productstend towards hardening and therefore, have a very short shelf-life. Theproblems associated with the crystallization of palm oil products isdescribed in U.S. Pat. No. Re 30,086 to Carlile et al.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present inventors have overcome the need in the art for acosmeceutical formulation containing carotenoids, the tocopherols, andthe tocotrienols, by preparing a cosmeceutical formulation made fromvotated palm oil, palm stearin, and/or palm olein and where appropriate,by using the procedures of structured lipid manufacture to tailor themelting point, consistency, and texture of the formulation. With theformulations described herein, the present inventors have found,surprisingly, that the problems associated with the pigmentation andcrystallization of palm oil products is avoided and at the same time,all of the nutritional benefits of palm oil are maintained and evenenhanced. Accordingly, the resulting cosmeceutical formulation is agolden-colored cream that is rich in carotenoids, tocopherols, andtocotrienols. The cosmeceutical formulation is unnoticeable uponapplication, is readily absorbed in the skin, and has a pleasinghomogeneous consistency throughout its considerable shelf-life.

In one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided abiocompatible, cosmeceutically acceptable topical formulation comprisinga votated blend of a palm oil and red palm olein, wherein theformulation is substantially homogeneous.

In another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided abiocompatible, cosmeceutically acceptable topical formulation comprisinga votated blend of: (a) approximately 85 wt. % to 99 wt. % of a RBD palmstearin; (b) approximately 0.5 wt. % to 10 wt. % of red palm superolein; (c) approximately 0.5 wt. % to 5.0 wt. % of additional oil; andoptionally (d) approximately 0.5 wt. % to 5.0 wt. % of an individualfatty acid, wherein the formulation is substantially homogeneous,substantially free of crystallized components, and begins to liquefy ata temperature no lower than 80° F.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, there is provided abiocompatible, cosmeceutically acceptable topical formulation comprisinga votated blend of: (a) approximately 85 wt. % to 99 wt. % of a RBD palmoil; (b) approximately 0.5 wt. % to 10 wt. % of red palm super olein;(c) approximately 0.5 wt. % to 5.0 wt. % of additional oil; andoptionally (d) approximately 0.5 wt. % to 5.0 wt. % of an individualfatty acid, wherein the formulation is substantially homogeneous,substantially free of crystallized components, and begins to liquefy ata temperature no lower than 80° F.

In yet another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided abiocompatible, cosmeceutically acceptable topical formulation comprisinga votated blend of: (a) approximately 50 wt. % to 75 wt. % of an RBDpalm oil; (b) approximately 24 wt. % to 35 wt. % of RBD palm stearin;(c) approximately 0.5 wt. % to 10 wt. % of a red palm olein; (d)approximately 0.5 wt. % to 5.0 wt. % of additional oil; and optionally(e) approximately 0.5 wt. % to 5.0 wt. % of an individual fatty acid,wherein the formulation is substantially homogeneous, substantially freeof crystallized components, and begins to liquefy at a temperature nolower than 80° F.

The foregoing formulations may be topically applied to the skin of anindividual for delivery of a carotenoid to the skin or for treating avariety of skin conditions including adverse and age-related skinconditions or as an effective moisturizer for prolonged maintenance ofordinary skin.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is schematic diagram of the by-products of palm oilfractionation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Definitions and Nomenclature

Unless otherwise indicated, the invention is not limited to specificmanufacturing processes, components, or uses, as such may vary. It isalso to be understood that the terminology used herein is for thepurpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intendedto be limiting.

As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singularforms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the contextclearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, “an additional oil”refers not only to a single additional oil but also to two or moreadditional oils, typically in admixture, reference to “a red palm olein”includes a single such olein (e.g., red palm super olein) or to amixture of two or more such oleins (e.g., red palm super olein and redpalm top olein), and the like.

In describing and claiming the present invention, the followingterminology will be used in accordance with the definitions set outbelow.

The terms “treating” and “treatment” as used herein refer to reductionin severity and/or elimination of a skin condition, whether a localizedand temporary condition (e.g., sunburn), a manifestation of a minorsystemic infection (e.g., chicken pox), or the result of a serious andongoing systemic disorder (e.g., a rash associated with systemic lupuserythematosis). The term “treating” also refers to the prevention of askin condition, including, but not limited to, prevention of an adverseskin condition in individuals who have already been treated for the skincondition or likely to develop the condition.

By a “cosmeceutically effective” formulation or component is meant anontoxic formulation or component that may or may not have medicinal ordrug-like properties, but which, when applied to the skin, beneficiallyaffects the appearance, feel, comfort, and/or biological functioning ofthe region of the skin to which the formulation or component is applied.

The term “cosmeceutically acceptable” refers to a formulation orcomponent that is topically administrable without causing anysignificant undesirable effects or interacting in a deleterious mannerwith any of the other components of the cosmeceutical formulation inwhich it is contained. The term “topical application” is used in itsconventional sense to mean the application of a formulation to the skinsurface.

The term “synthetic” refers to a non-naturally occurring compound orcomposition that can be prepared by chemical synthesis. Naturallyoccurring compounds and compositions that have been chemicallysynthesized are not “synthetic” as that term is used herein.

The terms “substantially homogeneous,” “substantially water-free,” andthe like, refer to compounds or compositions that are at least 90 wt. %,preferably at least 95 wt. %, and optimally at least 99 wt. %homogeneous, water-free, etc.

The terms “water-free,” “moisture-free,” and the like, refer tocompounds or compositions that contain no water, moisture, etc.

The term “homogeneous” refers to a consistency that is uniformthroughout.

The term “votating” refers the procedures by which oil is passed througha heat exchanger and is rapidly chilled until it is supercooled. Theresulting crystallized product is extruded to form a creamy andhomogeneous blend.

The term “interesterification” refers to a process for changing thephysical and functional properties of oils or fats by rearranging thenatural distribution of fatty acids in glycerides. Interesterificationis a catalytic process that is carried out at relatively lowtemperatures.

The term “hydrogenation” refers to the process by which oil is hardenedby saturating the ethylene bonds of the triacylglyceride (TAG)molecules. Hydrogenation can be partial or full and is used to alter themelting points, rate of crystallization, and oxidative stability ofliquid oil products.

By application on an “as-needed” basis is meant that the formulation isnot applied within the context of an ongoing or regular regimen.

“Carriers” or “vehicles” as used herein refer to carrier materialssuitable for incorporation in a topically applied composition. Carriersand vehicles useful herein include any such materials known in the art,which are nontoxic and do not interact with other components of theformulation in which it is contained in a deleterious manner.

“Optional” or “optionally” means that the subsequently describedcircumstance may or may not occur, so that the description includesinstances where the circumstance occurs and instances where it does not.For example, an additional component that is indicated as “optional” or“optionally present” means that the additional component may or may notbe present in a given formulation, and, thus, the description includesformulations in which the additional component is present andformulations in which it is not.

Formulations, Manufacture, and Use I. The Fundamental Components PalmOils and Palm Oleins

Palm oil is a generic term that includes a family of palm oils includingraw or crude palm oil, processed palm oil, and chemically modified palmoil. When palm oil is fractionated, it separates into palm olein, whichis a liquid, and palm stearin, which is a solid. The formulation of thepresent invention is made by unique combinations of palm oil, palmolein, and palm stearin.

A. Crude Palm Oil

Crude palm oil is derived from the mesocarp of the oil palm fruit. Theoil palm fruit is a drupe, which is comprised of three layers: theexocarp (the skin), the mesocarp (the outer pulp containing palm oil),and the endocarp (a hard shell enclosing the kernel, which contains oiland carbohydrate reserves for the embryo). The crude palm oil from themesocarp has physical and chemical properties that are distinct from theoil obtained form the kernel (the endosperm).

Extraction of crude palm oil from the oil palm fruit is most efficientlyaccomplished by way of double pressing. Under the double-pressingtechnique, the first press and the second press are carried out atdifferent temperatures with the first pressing carried out at a lowertemperature in order to avoid cracking the nut. After the first press,the endocarp is removed and the mesocarp is subjected to the secondpress. Advantages of the double pressing over the conventional singlepressing technique are a lower loss of oil in the fiber, a higher kernelextraction rate, and reduction of contamination of the crude palm oilwith kernel oil.

Like all oils, TAGs are the major component of palm oil, accounting for95% of palm oil. TAGs are glycerol molecules esterified with three fattyacids as follows:

wherein R₁, R₂, and R₃ are hydrocarbon chains, which may vary in bothchain length and saturation or unsaturation of carbon-to-carbon bonds.It is the variations in R₁, R₂, and R₃ that define the chemical andphysical properties of oils and fats, such as the melting point andcrystallization behavior of the oil.

For crude palm oil, the chain length of the fatty acids present in theTAGs falls within a very narrow range from twelve to twenty carbons.Generally, the longer the chain length, the higher the melting point ofthe fatty acid. Accordingly, arachidic acid, with a chain length of 20has a higher melting point than lauric acid. The melting point of palmoil is in the range of 28-31° C.

The fatty acid content in crude palm oil is approximately 50% saturated,40% monounsaturated, and 10% polyunsaturated. Generally, the moreunsaturated the fatty acid, the more unstable it will be. The degree ofsaturation or unsaturation and the fatty acid chain length both haveeffects on the functional and physical characteristics of palm oil.Specifically, saturated fatty acids have single carbon-to-carbon bondsare very stable. Examples of saturated fatty acids are palmitic acid(C16:0) and stearic acid (18:0). Unsaturated fatty acids havecarbon-to-carbon double bonds. Generally, the more unsaturated the fattyacid is, the more unstable it is. Monounsaturated fatty acids have onedouble bond, e.g., oleic acid (C18:1) and polyunsaturated fatty acidshave more than one, e.g., linoleic acid is diunsaturated with twocarbon-to-carbon double bonds (C18:2) and linolenic acid istriunsaturated with three carbon-to-carbon double bonds (C18:3). Table 1shows the chain length, saturation or unsaturation, and percentage ofthe fatty acids in Malaysian Crude Palm Oil.

TABLE 1 FATTY ACID COMPOSITION OF MALAYSIAN CRUDE PALM OIL FATTY ACID %OF TOTAL ACIDS CHAIN LENGTHS NAME MEAN RANGE C12:0 Lauric Acid 0.230.1-1.0 C14:0 Myristic Acid 1.09 0.9-1.5 C16:0 Palmitic Acid 44.0241.8-46.8 C16:1 Palmitoleic Acid 0.12 0.1-0.3 C18:0 Stearic Acid 4.544.2-5.1 C18:1 Oleic Acid 39.15 37.3-40.8 C18:2 Linoleic Acid 10.12 9.1-11.0 C18:3 Linolenic Acid 0.37 <0.05-0.6    C20:0 Arachidic Acid0.38 0.2-0.7

The remaining glyceridic material consists primarily ofmonoacylglycerides and diacylglycerides, referred to collectively as“partial glycerides,” and free fatty acids (FFAs). Oil obtained fromunbruised fruit generally shows trace levels of partial glycerides;however, larger amounts of partial glycerides are seen in bruised andoverripe palm fruit as a result of the partial hydrolysis of the TAGs inthe damaged and aging fruit. Because it is known that the presence ofpartial glycerides affects the crystallization behavior of oils, it isimportant to select unbruised fruit when preparing crude palm oil.

In addition to glyceridic components, crude palm oil also containsapproximately 1% of minor non-glyceridic components includingcarotenoids (vitamin A precursors) and chlorophyll pigments, tocopherolsand tocotrienols (vitamin E components), sterols, phospholipids,glycolipids, and terpenic and aliphatic hydrocarbons. These minorcomponents are often referred to as the “unsaponifiable components” ofpalm oil.

The pigmentation of palm fruits is related to its stage of maturity. Twoclasses of natural pigments occur in crude palm oil: carotenoids andchlorophyll. Palm oil from young fruits contains more chlorophyll thancarotenoids while palm oil from ripe fruits tends to be carotenoid-rich,with the high levels of carotenoids visually masking the presence ofchlorophylls. The presence of the carotenoids in palm oil gives the oila rich orange-red color. Because the use of a rich orange-red oil is notdesirable in the food or cosmetic industries, palm oil has traditionallybeen processed in order to remove the dark pigmentation of the oil andproduce a more visually pleasing light yellow to golden colored oil. Thedisadvantage of the processing of crude red palm oil is that theresulting oil is depleted of many of its nutritionally rich components,including the carotenoid pigments.

Palm oil may be refined chemically or physically. The two methods differin the way the free fatty acids (FFAs) are removed from the oil.Chemical refining uses an alkali to neutralize most of the fatty acids,which are removed as soap. Physical refining uses steam distillationunder a vacuum at high temperatures to remove the FFAs. Physicalrefining has the advantage of not producing a soap and therefore, aneffluent plant to remove soap stock is not required in physicalrefining. Crude palm oil that is manufactured by way of chemicalrefining is known as NBD (neutralized, bleached, deodorized) palm oil,while crude palm oil that is manufactured by way of physical refining isknown as RBD (refined, bleached, deodorized) palm oil. Despite thedifference in manufacturing between the chemical and physical refiningprocesses, there is very little difference between the qualities of theNBD and RBD palm oil produced by the two refining procedures.

In both chemical and physical refining, crude palm oil is prepared forprocessing by degumming the crude palm oil with phosphoric acid. Thedegumming pretreatment step begins by heating the crude palm oil at asteady rate up to 45° C., the temperature at which the oil is easilypumped; keeping the crude oil homogenized to provide final productconsistency; and gum conditioning the crude oil. With gum conditioning,the temperature of the crude oil is raised to approximately 80° C. bypumping the crude oil through a heat exchanger and then treating theheated oil with 0.05%-0.10% high grade orthophosphoric acid in a mixer.After a reaction time of approximately 15 minutes, the gums(phosphatides) precipitate-out of the oil mixture and are easilyremoved. Once this pretreatment is complete, the crude oil may bechemical or physically refined.

B. NBD Palm Oil

The first step in the manufacture of chemically refined NBD palm oilproducts is neutralization, which serves to reduce the FFA content inthe crude palm oil product. In this step, theorthophosphoric-acid-treated crude palm oil is dosed with caustic soda;the concentration and amount of the alkali will vary depending on theFFA content of the oil. The formulation is then mixed so that the alkalireacts with the FFAs forming precipitated soaps, which are removedthrough either centrifugation or settling and washing. Both separationprocedures will yield two phases: a light phase discharge, which ismainly refined oil containing trace amounts of soap and moisture, and aheavy phase discharge, which is primarily soap, insoluble materials,gums, free alkali and minute quantities of neutralized oil. At thisseparation stage, a certain amount of neutral oil is saponified alongwith the FFA and is lost by emulsification. The efficiency of theprocess can be determined by way of a refining factor (RF) as follows:

${R\; F} = \frac{{Oil}\mspace{14mu}{loss}\mspace{14mu}\%}{F\; F\; A}$

The neutralized oil is then washed with water to remove the soap andother impurities and the resulting oil-water mixture is passed through acentrifuge separator to separate the heavy and light phase discharges.The centrifuged light phase discharge should have a soap content lessthan 80 ppm, which will be removed at the next bleaching step. Aftercentrifugation, the light phase discharge is dried in a vacuum dryer;the resulting oil is a semi-refined palm oil called neutralized palm oil(NPO). As a semi-refined product, NPO still retains many undesirableimpurities, odors, and pigments, many of which are removed throughbleaching.

The second step in the manufacture of NBD palm oil products isbleaching, which serves to remove impurities from the oil productthrough adsorption. In this step, activated clay, i.e., bleaching earth,is added to the NPO to remove undesirable impurities and improve theoxidative stability of the oil; adsorb soap traces, pro-oxidant metalions, and other impurities; and decompose peroxides. Bleaching iscarried out under a vacuum at a temperature of about 100° C. for 30minutes. The dosage of bleaching earth added to the NPO varies with thetype and quantity of starting oil and is usually in the range of0.5%-1.0%. The slurry containing the bleaching earth is then passedthrough a system of filters to yield a clear oil called neutralized,bleached (NB) palm oil. Although the pigmentation of NB palm oil issomewhat reduced as a result of the bleaching process, the vast majorityof the color reduction of palm oil products is achieved throughdeodorization.

The third step in the manufacture of NBD palm oil is deodorization,which serves to further reduce the FFA content and destroy thechromogenic properties of the carotenoids. Deodorization is a hightemperature, high vacuum, steam distillation process, which operates bysubjecting the oil to de-aeration, heating, stripping, and cooling.Deodorization can be carried out in batch, continuous, orsemi-continuous style. In continuous alkali refining, the oil isgenerally heated 220° C.-240° C. under a vacuum of 2-5 mbar. At thistemperature, the carotenoid pigments are thermally destroyed. The use ofdirect stripping steam in the deodorization system removes residualFFAs, aldehydes, and ketones, which are responsible for the undesirableodors and flavors of crude and semi-refined palm oil products. When thepalm oil product leaves the deodorizer it remains under a vacuum untilit has been cooled to a temperature below 60° C. Once it has reached itstarget temperature, the palm oil product passed through polishing filterand is sent to a storage tank as NBD palm oil, a light yellow stableproduct with a bland flavor.

C. RBD Palm Oil

As mentioned above, RBD palm oil is crude palm oil that is physicallyrefined. The manufacture of RBD palm oil is similar to that of NBD palmoil, with the exception of the neutralization step. Accordingly, thecrude palm oil is pre-treated with phosphoric acid as described above.After pretreatment, the degummed crude oil product is directly subjectedto bleaching. With physical refining, higher doses of earth are usedthan with chemical refining. The excess earth adsorbs impurities, whichare removed with soapstock and washing as in the chemical refiningprocess. The pre-treated oil then enters the deodorizer with an FFAcontent that is much higher than the FFA content of NB oil. In light ofthe higher FFA content, the deodorization is carried out at a highertemperature than for chemical refining and requires more stripping steamand a larger vacuum. The temperature required for physical refining isin the range of 250° C.-270° C. The oil leaves the deodorizer as RBDoil.

For the cosmeceutical formulations of the present invention, RBD palmoil and RBD palm stearin are the preferred processed palm oil products

D. Palm Oleins and Palm Stearins

As a result of fully saturated triglycerides and high melting pointmono-oleoglycerides, crude palm oil exists as a semi-solid fat atordinary room temperature; accordingly, it must be subjected tofractionation in order to reduce it to liquid form. The solid nature ofthe crude palm oil is due to the presence of solid, fully saturated TAGsand high melting point mono-oleoglycerides and monolinologlycerides.

Fractionation of palm oil results in two by-products: 20-30% solid fat,called palm stearin, and 70%-80% liquid oil, called palm olein. Thereare three types of fractionation: dry fractionation, detergentfractionation and solvent fractionation. All three processes involve thegradual lowering of the temperature of the palm oil to inducecrystallization and the consequent separation of the higher meltingpoint triglycerides (the solid stearin) from the lower melting pointtriglycerides (the liquid olein).

With dry fractionation, the palm oil is preheated to approximately 70°C. to destroy any crystals that may be present in the oil. The oil isthen gradually cooled under agitation. The resulting slurry is filteredto separate the solid stearin from the liquid olein.

With detergent fractionation, a detergent, such as sodium laurylsulphate, and an electrolyte, such as magnesium sulphate, are used tocrystallize the oil and separate the fractions. The electrolyteagglomerates the oil droplets formed during the mixing process while thedetergent fractionates and wets the stearin crystals and displacesoccluded and entrained olein. The lower density olein is then separatedfrom the higher density stearin-detergent mixture throughcentrifugation. Traces of detergent in the olein fraction may be removedby washing. The heavier stearin phase containing most of the detergentis heated to melt the stearin and then centrifuged to separate thestearin from the detergent. The isolated detergent may be recycled.

With solvent fractionation, a solvent such as hexane or acetone is usedto crystallize the fractions. The fractions may be selectivelycrystallized at different temperatures, with the cooling carried out byeither chilled water or brine, the latter used if very low temperaturesare desired. The olein and stearin fractions are separated from thesolvent by way of filtration.

Further fractionation of the olein component yields double fractionatedolein, referred to as “super olein,” and a “palm mid-fraction” (PMF).Palm super olein has a higher Iodine Value (IV) and consequently, alower cloud point than single fractionated palm olein. The IV value isused to measure the content of unsaturation or double bonds capable ofreacting with iodine; it is defined as the percentage of iodine absorbedby the oil or fat under test conditions. Methods for IV determinationare known to those of ordinary skill in the art and include the Wijs andHanus methods. Cloud point measures the resistance of an oil tocrystallization; it is generally used as one of the specifications forpalm olein. The cloud point test includes cooling the olein until itbegins to cloud as a result of crystal formation. A high IV value isusually indicative of a low cloud point, i.e., a liquid oil, while a lowIV value usually indicates that the oil is in the form of a solid. Ifpalm oil is subjected to triple fractionation, the resulting product isreferred to as “super top olein.” The fractionation of crude palm oil isdiagrammed schematically in FIG. 1 and includes the IV ranges for eachfraction.

The stearin that is originally fractionated from palm oil is hard andconsequently is often referred to as “hard stearin.” Furtherfractionation of hard stearin results in “super stearin” and “softstearin”; with the soft stearin having a higher IV value than the superstearin.

Since fractionation does not destroy the carotenoids and otherunsaponifiable nutrients found in crude palm oil, both palm stearin andpalm olein maintain the rich orange-red color of the crude oil uponfractionation. Accordingly, the palm olein and palm stearin productsdiscussed herein are often referred to as red palm olein, red palm superolein, red palm top olein, red palm stearin, red palm super stearin, andred palm soft stearin. In this same vein, NBD and RBD palm oil that aresubjected to fractionation result in NBD and RBD palm oleins and NBD andRBD palm stearins. As with the NBD and RBD palm oils, NBD and RBD palmoleins and stearins are void of the pigments found in the crude oilproducts.

As the majority of the fatty acids and nutrients filter into the liquidfraction, palm olein generally has a higher percentage of fatty acidsand nutrients than does palm stearin. Because small amounts of liquidoil may remain in stearin after fractionation, the solid fat is oftensubjected to “pressing” following fractionation. With pressing, liquidoil is pressed out of the solid fat by means of hydraulic pressure. Theprocess produces a harder solid fat with no extra liquid.

Table 2 shows the fatty acid composition of crude palm oil, palm olein,palm super olein, and palm stearin.

TABLE 2 FATTY ACID COMPOSITION OF PALM OIL PRODUCTS FATTY ACID CRUDEPALM CHAIN PALM PALM SUPER PALM LENGTHS NAME OIL OLEIN OLEIN STEARINC12:0 Lauric Acid 0.23 0.3 0.4 0.25 C14:0 Myristic Acid 1.09 1.0 1.11.45 C16:0 Palmitic Acid 44.02 39.8 31.5 62.2 C16:1 Palmitoleic Acid0.12 0.2 — 0.07 C18:0 Stearic Acid 4.54 4.4 3.2 5.0 C18:1 Oleic Acid39.15 42.2 49.2 24.8 C18:2 Linoleic Acid 10.12 11.2 13.7 5.9 C18:3Linolenic Acid 0.37 0.4 0.3 0.3 C20:0 Arachidic Acid 0.38 0.4 0.4 0.45E. Chemical Modification of Palm Oil Products

The structured lipids of the present invention are achieved bychemically modifying the palm oil products discussed herein. Structuredlipids refer generally to tailor-made oils and fats that have improvednutritional or physical properties as a result of modifications to thefatty acids on the glycerol backbone of the TAG molecules. Suchmodifications may include the incorporation of new fatty acids on theglycerol backbone or more commonly, changes in the position of existingfatty acids on the glycerol backbone.

Chemical modification of a palm oil product generally affects the oil'smelting point and rate of crystallization, and consequently, alters theconsistency or texture of the resulting product. Because TAGs constitute95% of palm oil, the chemical modification of palm oil products isdominated by ester group reactions. Generally, palm oil products arechemically modified using the procedures of interesterification(including partial or complete acidolysis, alcoholyis, andtransesterification) and hydrogenation (including partial or completealkoxylation, ethoxylation, and propoxylation). For processed NBD andRBD palm oil, the chemical modification is generally carried out betweenthe bleaching and deodorization steps.

1. Interesterification

The group of reactions in which an ester of a fatty acid is reacted withfatty acid, alcohols, or other fatty acid esters is broadly termed“interesterification.” Interesterification reactions involve therearrangement or redistribution of fatty acids attached to the glycerolpart of the TAG molecule. The rearrangement can be either random ordirect depending on the processing conditions. Interesterificationreactions fall into one of the following three categories: (i)acidolysis, a reaction of fatty esters with an acid (usually a fattyacid) where acyl moiety is displaced between an acyl glycerol and acarboxylic acid; (ii) alcoholysis, a reaction between a fatty acid esterand an alcohol where an acyl moiety is displaced between an acylglycerol and an alcohol; and (iii) transesterification, an exchange ofacid radicals from one fatty acid ester to another where two acylmoieties are exchanged between two acylglycerols. With each of thesereactions, hydrolysis and esterification occur simultaneously; with thehydrolysis reaction serving to cleave the acyl bonds and theesterification serving to form the new acyl bonds.Acidolysis R₁—CO—OR+R₂—CO—OH═R₂—CO—OR+R₁—CO—OHAlcoholysis R—CO—OR₁+R₂—OH═R—CO—OR₂+R₁—OHTransesterification R₁—CO—OR₂+R₃—CO—OR₄═R₁—CO—OR₄+R₃—CO—OR₂

Interesterification reactions are reversible and allow for modificationof the physical properties of fats, such as melting point,crystallization, solid fat content, and plasticity, while retaining thechemical and nutritional properties of the fats. By usinginteresterification, crude and processed palm oil products can be mademore homogeneous.

When carried out in the presence of catalysts, interesterificationreactions can be carried out at relatively low temperatures; otherwise,high temperatures are required in order for the reactions to proceed.The most commonly used catalysts for interesterification reactions aremetal alkylates, such as sodium methylate, sodium ethylate, sodiummetal, sodium/potassium alloy, and the hydroxide of sodium and potassiumin combination with glycerol, although lipase-catalyzed reactions arealso used. An example of a lipase-catalyzed transesterification reactionis the use of immobilized Rhizomucor meihei lipase to replace thepalmitic oil in palm oil with stearic acid. R. Sharma et al. (2001),“Production, Purification, Characterization, and Applications ofLipases,” Biotechnology Advances, 19:627-662, 631. A combination ofchemical and lipase catalyzed reactions may also be used tointeresterify palm oil products. H. T. Osborn and C. C. Akoh (2002),“Structured Lipids—Novel Fats with Medical, Nutraceutical, and FoodApplications” Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety,3:93-104, 94. Because interesterification reactions require water to runthe hydrolysis reaction and a lack of water to run the esterificationreaction, the reactions are best performed in a reactor with a wateractivity step change. It is important that the presence of water in theesterification stage be at an absolute minimum since the presence ofexcess water may cause the hydrolysis reaction to dominate resulting inthe accumulation of glycerol, FFAs, and partial glycerides.

2. Hydrogenation

Hydrogenation of oils, also referred to as “hardening,” is an additionreaction involving saturation of the ethylene bonds of a TAG withhydrogen. Hydrogenation can be full or partial and in both casesrequires a catalyst to speed the reaction. Upon full hydrogenation, allof the double bonds of the TAG are eliminated and the product is reducedto a hard brittle solid at room temperature. Accordingly, with respectto palm oil products, partial hydrogenation, preferably <10% by weightis preferred. Partial hydrogenation of palm oil may result in thefollowing: (i) a change from the cis form to the trans form ofunsaturated bonds (geometric isomerization); (ii) a change in theposition of the unsaturated bonds (positional isomerization); and (iii)formation of conjugated systems of unsaturated bonds in polyunsaturatedfatty acid side chains (conjugation). The formation of trans doublebonds, however, is dependent on the catalytic material used and thehydrogenation conditions, e.g., temperature, pressure, and stirringrate. For example, nickel-sulfur catalysts lead to the formation of moretrans isomers than conventional nickel catalysts while low temperaturehydrogenation with more active precious metals can limit the formationof trans isomers. For example, palm oil can be hydrogenated with usednickel catalyst or a sulphur-poisoned catalyst to increase its solid fatcontent (SFC) at 10° C. without a significant increase in its meltingpoint; however, generally, the progression of the hydrogenation reactionresults in a gradual increase of the melting point of the oil or fat.Accordingly, hydrogenation is the process most commonly used to alterthe melting point, and rate of crystallization of liquid oil products.Hydrogenation has the end result of enhancing the oxidative stability ofthe oil products.

Once a palm oil product has been hydrogenated, it may be alkoxylated inorder to increase the water solubility of the palm oil product. In thealkoxylation process, an ethylene oxide (ethoxylation) or a propyleneoxide (propoxylation) are reacted with the TAGs to form a smooth creamwith improved moisturizing properties. Alkoxylated palm oil product maybe used to produce soap-based products in addition to moisturizers. Inthe production of soaps, it is preferred to alkoxylate the TAGs aftersaponification when the oil product is already in a hardened rather thana liquid state. The degree of alkoxylation, i.e., partial or total, willvary with the desired end product. For example, a lower degree ofalkoxylation will be needed to produce a moisturizer than a hard soap,the latter required a higher degree of alkoxylation. U.S. Pat. No.6,544,938 to Yaravoy et al. describes soap products with alkoxylatedtriglycerides. Soaps and cosmetic compositions prepared usingethoxylated and propoxylated esters are described in European PatentApplication No. EP 1221 313.

The end products of hydrogenation-ethoxylation andhydrogenation-propoxylation reactions are fully saturated functionalreplacements for palm oil and acceptable starting materials forcosmeceutical formulations. For example, hydrogenated-ethoxylated palmoil products have been found to be useful as emulsifiers, wettingagents, dispersants, superfatting agents, emollients, and plasticers andhydrogenated-propoxylated palm oil products are useful as emollients andskin lubricants.

3. Hydrolyzation and Saponification

To ensure that the palm oil products used in the claimed cosmeceuticalformulation are of the highest quality, it is important that the palmfruit and the resulting palm oil products have not become hydrolyzed.Accordingly, the preparation of the claimed formulations should be atleast substantially water-free and preferably completely water-free.Hydrolysis of the palm fruit and of palm oil products can be in the formof microbial lipolysis, autocatalytic hydrolysis, or enzymaticlipolysis. Microbial lipolysis occurs when microorganisms enter the palmfruit and liberate the lipase enzyme. Improper storage of fruits anddelayed processing favor the multiplication of microorganisms andhydrolysis of the resulting palm oil. Autocatalytic hydrolysis of palmoil occurs in the presence of water. The rate of the hydrolytic reactiondepends on the temperature, moisture content, and initial FFAconcentration of the palm oil product. Enzymatic lipolysis occurs whenendogenous lipase is released in the palm fruits. Bruised fruits displaymore lipolytic activity than undamaged fruits. Over-ripe fruits,processing delay, and rough handling of palm fruit bunches allcontribute to palm oil acidification. Accordingly, good harvesting andhandling are essential to avoid enzymatic lipolysis.

During the processing of NBD and RBD palm oil products, it is importantthat the saponification of the palm oil products is kept to a minimumfor both environmental and economical reasons. Saponification, oralkaline hydrolysis of an organic ester, produces an alkaline salt andalcohol. When a TAG is treated with alkali, it yields the salt of thealkali metal (soap) and glycerol. This is the basic reaction in themaking of soap and glycerin from palm oil. Despite the foregoing,saponification has an important role during the refining process, namelyit is important in order to determine the acidity and saponificationnumber of the resulting fats and oils. The saponification numberindicates the average molecular weight or equivalent weight of fattymaterials in the oil and is therefore, an important identifycharacteristic of an oil or fat. Palm oil has a saponification number,or value, between 192 and 205. Saponification is represented by thefollowing chemical reaction:

When preparing the cosmeceutical formulation of the present invention,each of the palm oil products discussed herein may be interesterified,hydrogenated, and/or alkoxylated as appropriate in order to produce anend-product with an appropriate melting point, consistency, and texturefor its intended use. For example, a skin lotion will may support alower melting point and a softer consistency and a smoother texture thanwill a cream, which will require a higher melting point, a harderconsistency, and a stiffer texture.

F. Palm Oil Components

The even balance between the saturated and unsaturated fatty acids incrude palm oil determines the IV of the oil (about 52, which isindicative of a semi-solid state) and confers oxidative stability to theoil, in comparison with other vegetable oils.

As shown in Table 2, the major fatty acids in palm oil are palmiticacid, stearic acid, oleic acid, and linoleic acid. As shown in Table 3,these four fatty acids are part of the Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs),which form part of the lipid complex of the epidermis and aid skinbarrier function by helping to control transepidermal water loss. Table3 shows the EFA profile for human skin lipids.

TABLE 3 EFA PROFILE FOR HUMAN SKIN FATTY ACID CONCENTRATION IN SKINLIPIDS (%) Palmitic Acid 30.0 Palmitoleic Acid 8.0 Stearic Acid 13.0Oleic Acid 17.0 Linoleic Acid 14.0

Because human skin is low in EFAs, it is prone to transepidermal waterloss and the dry skin associated with the water loss. Accordingly, thepresence of high amounts of EFAs in palm oil has the benefit of reducingtransepidermal water loss and preventing the dry skin. Unsaturation oflinoleic acid results in α- and γ-linolenic acids, fatty acids withanti-inflammatory properties that have been shown improve the appearanceof sun-damaged and aging skin.

1. The Unsaponifiable Matter

Because the unsaponifiable matter of palm oil is rich in anti-oxidants,additional oxidation of palm oil and its fractions is not necessary. Theoxidative protection derived from crude palm oil and its fractions isprimarily due to the presence of the carotenoids, tocotrienols, andtocopherols, with the other components having lesser anti-oxidanteffects.

Carotenoids are the precursors to vitamin A; they are unsaturatedtetraterpene molecules biosynthesized from eight isoprene units, themajority of which are all-trans. Carotenoids are divided into two mainclasses: carotenes and xanthophylls. Carotenes are strictly polyenehydrocarbons. Alpha and beta-carotene are the major carotenoids in palmoil accounting for 90% of the total carotenoids therein, with β-carotenehaving the highest provitamin A activity. In crude palm oil, thecarotenoids offer oxidative protection by undergoing oxidation prior tothe TAGs. Table 4 sets forth the carotene concentrations present inMalaysian Crude Palm Oil.

TABLE 4 CAROTENE COMPOSITION OF MALAYSIAN CRUDE PALM OIL CAROTENE (PPM)PERCENTAGE Phytoene 1.27 cis-β-Carotene 0.68 Phytofluene 0.06 B-Carotene56.02 A-Carotene 35.16 cis-α-Carotene 2.49 Z-Carotene 0.69 γ-Carotene0.33 Δ-Carotene 0.83 Neurosporene 0.29 β-Zeacarotene 0.74 α-Zeacarotene0.23 Lycopene 1.30 TOTAL CAROTENE 673Xanthophylls are oxygenated carotenes; the oxygenation of thesecompounds may be in the form of hydroxy (e.g., zeaxanthin and lutein),keto, epoxy, or carboxyl groups.

Although carotenoids represent less than 1% of the components in crudepalm oil, after extraction and fractionation, the concentration ofcarotenoids in crude palm oil far exceeds the concentration ofcarotenoids found in other vegetable oils. For example, corn oil,groundnut oil, soy-bean oil, rapeseed oil, linseed oil, olive oil,barley oil, sunflower oil, and cotton-seed oil, all have concentrationsof carotenoids that are in the range of 100 ppm or less. By contrast,crude palm oil has a high carotenoid content (630-700 ppm), whichimparts the oil's orange-red color. The concentration of carotenoids invarious palm oil fractions is set forth in Table 5.

TABLE 5 CAROTENOID CONTENT OF VARIOUS PALM OIL FRACTIONS PALM OILFRACTION PPM Crude palm oil 630-700 palm olein 680-760 palm stearin280-540 Residual oil from palm fruit fiber 4,000-6,000 Oil from palmleaves ~1,900 Second-pressed oil 1,800-2,400 Total carotenoids estimatedat 446 nm as ppm of β-carotene

Although high concentrations of carotenoids may be obtained from thepressed fiber of the palm fruit (and from palm leaves), thesecarotenoids have a different chemical composition from the carotenoidsfound in crude palm oil, crude palm olein, and crude palm stearin. Forexample, the α- and β-carotenes in the fiber oil only constitute about50% of the total carotenoids, with phytoene, lycopene, γ-carotene, andδ-carotene present at higher concentrations than they are in crude palmoil. The carotenoid profile of the second-pressed oil is similar to thatof the fiber oil.

Because the carotenoids are thermally destroyed during the deodorizationstage of the refining process, carotenoids are usually extracted fromcrude palm oil prior to refining.

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin, which is comprised of two majorhomologous series of compounds: the tocopherols and tocotrienols,referred to collectively as “tocochromanols.” The tocopherols arestructurally characterized by a saturated side chain in the chroman ringand the tocotrienols are structurally characterized by an unsaturatedphytyl side chain. Four homologs of each of the tocopherols and thetocotrienols are known with each having differing degrees of antioxidantand vitamin E activity. Tocopherols are predominantly found in vegetableoils, especially seed oils, while tocotrienols are predominantly foundin palm oil and cereal oils, such as barley and rice bran oils.

The vitamin E content in crude palm oil ranges between 600-1000 ppm andis a mixture of 78-82% tocotrienols and 18-22% tocopherols. The majortocochromanols in palm oil are α-tocopherol, γ-tocotrienol, andδ-tocotrienol. The concentration of each of the tocopherols andtocotrienols in crude palm oil is set forth in Table 6.

TABLE 6 TOCOPHEROLS AND TOCOTRIENOLS IN CRUDE PALM OIL TYPE PERCENTAGEα-tocopherols 21.5 β-tocopherols 3.7 γ-tocopherols 3.2 δ-tocopherols 1.6α-tocotrienols 7.3 β-tocotrienols 7.3 γ-tocotrienols 43.7 δ-tocotrienols11.7

The vitamin E content of palm oil is partially lost as a result ofprocessing and fractionation. For example, it has been reported that RBDpalm oil, RBD palm olein, and RBD palm stearin retain approximately 69%,72%, and 76% of the original level of vitamin E found in the crude oils,respectively. It has also been observed that vitamin E tends topartition preferentially into the olein fraction during fractionation ofpalm oil. For example, the concentration of vitamin E in RBD palm oleinand RBD palm stearin is 104-135% and 57-75%, respectively of theoriginal level of vitamin E in RBD palm oil. See, Sambanthamurthi et al.(2000), “Chemistry and Biochemistry of Palm Oil,” Progress in LipidResearch 39:507-558, 524 and 547.

In addition to carotenoids, tocotrienols, and tocopherols, crude palmoil also contains 10-80 ppm of the strong antioxidant ubiquinone 10,also known as coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). Crude palm oil also containsapproximately 5 ppm of ubiquinone 9, also known as coenzyme Q9 (CoQ9);however, CoQ9 is not known to have the strong antioxidant effect ofCoQ10. Upon fractionation, more CoQ10 is found in the liquid (olein)than in the solid (stearin) fraction. CoQ10 has the following molecularstructure:

Table 7 shows the content of CoQ10 in crude palm oil and various palmoil products.

TABLE 7 CoQ10 IN PALM OIL PRODUCTS SAMPLE CoQ10 (PPM) Crude palm oil10-80 Bleached palm oil 10-70 RBD palm oil 10-30 RBD pal olein 10-20Palm fatty acid distillate 0 Residual fiber oil  5-10 Crude palm kerneloil 0 Commercial red palm olein 18-25

The foregoing data shows that the levels of CoQ10 decrease withprocessing. The loss of CoQ10 during processing may be attributable tophosphoric acid and bleaching earth treatment during degumming and hightemperature deodorization. Because CoQ10 is not volatile, no CoQ10 isfound in the palm fatty acid distillate, which is a by-product ofphysical refining or in crude palm kernel oil. CoQ10 was found in palmfiber oil and red palm oil and less than 5 ppm of the lower homologueCoQ9 was found in various palm oil fractions, i.e., crude palm oil,bleached palm oil, RBD palm olein, and residual fiber oil.

Squalene (C₃₀H₅₀) is a triterpenoid aliphatic hydrocarbon with sixunconjugated double bonds. Squalene has been reported to haveantioxidant activity and to retard the degradation of unsaturated fattyacids at high temperatures. Squalene is found in high quantities inolive oil (2,400 ppm) and in palm oil products (Table 6). Within thecosmetic industry, squalene is used as a skin lubricant and emollient increams and lotions. In addition to the foregoing, squalene is also usedas an intermediate product for the production of pharmaceuticals.Squalane (C₃₀H₆₂), an oily fully saturated material obtained by thecatalytic hydrogenation of squalene is used as an ingredient of the oilphase in pharmaceutical creams and lotions both as a skin lubricant andas a carrier of lipid soluble drugs. Squalene and squalane have thefollowing molecular structures:

Table 8 shows the squalene content in palm oil products:

TABLE 8 SQUALENE CONTENT IN PALM OIL PRODUCTS OILS AND FATS SQUALENE(PPM Crude palm oil 537-659 Bleached palm oil 530-645 RBD palm oil478-791 Palm fatty acid distillate 2,128-8,191

In addition to the foregoing, given the high concentration of squalenein palm fatty acid distillate, it may be possible to recover thehydrocarbon from this refining by-product and introduce the squalene asan additional ingredient in the claimed cosmeceutical formulation.

Sterols are tetracyclic compounds with, typically, 27-29 carbon atoms;sterols make up a sizable portion of the unsaponifiable matter in oil.The sterols in crude palm oil are sitosterol (218-370 ppm), campesterol(90-151 ppm), stigmasterol (44-66 ppm), cholesterol (7-13 ppm), andothers (2-18 ppm). Upon refining, their levels are reduced to 68-114ppm, 26-30 ppm, 12-23 ppm, and 2 ppm, respectively. The total content ofsterols in palm oil is about 0.03%. Most of the sterols in palm oil areinert and do not appear to contribute to any important property orbehavior of palm oil, although Δ5-avenasterol has been reported to showantioxidant activity in edible oils. See, Sambanthamurthi et al., supra,at 524.

Phospholipids and triterpene alcohols are present in very small amountsin crude palm oil. Phospholipids are present in small quantities (15-130ppm) in palm oil; however, the phosphorus from phospholipids has beenreported as having anti-oxidant effects. See, Sambanthamurthi et al. at528. The anti-oxidant effect of the phospholipids is believed to be theresult of the phosphorous chelating pro-oxidant metals. The mainphospholipids are phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine,phosphatidylinositol, and phosphatidylglycerol. The unsaponifiablematter in palm oil contains about 0.02% triterpene alcohols. These are acomplex group of plant constituents, which consists mainly of fivecondensed cyclohexane rings with 30 carbon atoms. The triterpenealcohols identified in palm oil are cycloartanol, β-amyrin,cycloartenol, and 2,4-methylene cycloartanol. Although the phospholipidsand triterpene alcohols are present in small amounts in crude palm oil,these compounds may play a role in the stability and refinability ofpalm oil products.

The pronounced antioxidant effect of palm oil is the result the highconcentration of unsaturated fats in the oil as well as the highconcentration of anti-oxidating agents present in the oil. Unlikepolyunsaturated oils, palm oil is more resistant to oxidation because ofits higher level of saturated fatty acids (palm oil has a 1:1 ratio ofsaturated to unsaturated fatty acids). It is the unsaturated fatty acidsin the oil that are susceptible to oxidation. The carotenoids,tocopherols, tocotrienols, CoQ10, squalene, squalane, and theantioxidant sterols, phospholipids, and triterpene alcohols present inpalm oil act as free radical scavengers and singlet oxygen quenchers.For example, carotenoids quench singlet oxygen through energy transferfrom the oxygen to the carotenoid while the quenching mechanism oftocopherols is by charge transfer. The combined effects of theproperties of the aforementioned antioxidants confer on palm oil ahigher oxidative stability in comparison to many other vegetable oils.In addition to its antioxidant properties, palm oil has also been shownto have antibacterial properties.

II. Optional Components

Additional optional components that may be added to the formulation ofthe present invention include the following oils: aloe vera oil, apricotoil, apricot kernel oil, avocado oil, black currant oil, borage oil,camellia oil, coconut oil, corn oil, evening primrose oil, flaxseed oil,jojoba oil, meadow foam oil, mineral oil, palm kernel oil, passion fruitoil, passion fruit seed oil, rice bran oil, rose hips oil, saffloweroil, soya oil, sunflower oil, tea tree oil, vitamin E oil, and wheatgerm oil. Other optional components that may be added to the claimedformulations include the following additives: glycerin, glycerinstearate, lecithin, PEG 100 stearate, lanolin alcohol, petrolatum,vitamin C, and vitamin C ester.

Within the context of the present invention, the preferred oils to beadded to the claimed formulations are: evening primrose oil, borage oil,black currant oil, flaxseed oil, safflower oil, and wheat germ oil. Thebenefits derived from the addition of these oils to the claimedformulations are the presence of high amounts of EFAs that are found inthe oils. For example, evening primrose oil is rich in γ-linolenic acid(an omega-6 fatty acid) (9%) and has high concentrations of vitamin E;borage oil and black currant oil are both high in γ-linolenic acid (24%and 15%, respectively); flaxseed oil is rich in α-linolenic acid (anomega-3 fatty acid) (approximately 57%) and α-linoleic acid (an omega-6fatty acid) (approximately 17%); safflower oil is high in α-linoleicacid (approximately 84%); and wheat germ oil has high concentrations ofvitamin E. Any of the oils and additives mentioned herein may be addedto the claimed formulations alone or in combination depending on whichcombinations of EFAs, vitamins, and other properties are desired for theresulting formulation. In addition to the oils listed herein, it isunderstood that any additional oils high in EFAs may also added to theclaimed formulations.

In addition to EFA and vitamin-containing oils, any EFAs may be addeddirectly to the formulation in order to enhance the benefits thisimportant EFA in the formulation. The preferred EFAs to be addeddirectly to the claimed formulation are α- and/or γ-linolenic acid.

Esterification of fatty acids and alcohols allows the manufacture ofstraight and branched chain, mono-, di-, tri-, and tetraesters, whichare used to modify the look and feel of formulations. Depending on thechain length and structural arrangement of the fatty acids and alcohols,esters can be tailored to provide different physical properties andtypes of emollience. For example, the straight chain esters cetylpalmitate and cetostearyl stearate, which are solid at room temperature,may be used to increase the viscosity of emulsions and impart a dryemollience to skin. Liquid branched chained esters, such as isopropylmyristate and cetostearyl ethylhexanoate, provide non-occlusiveemollience with good spreading properties. Pentaerythrityltetraisostearte, a high molecular weight tetraester, confers along-lasting emollience to skin creams and lotions.

For suncare formulations, the choice of emollient influences both thesolubility and spreadability of the sunscreen agent and its ability topenetrate the skin. Due to polarity, certain fatty acid esters areexcellent solvents for organic sunscreens. Preferred esters forsunscreen formulations are caprylic/capric triglyceride, octylmethoxycinnamate benzophenone-3, ethylhexyl hydroxystearate, and estersof C12-C15 alkyl benzoate. Complete solubilization of the sunscreen inthe formulation helps promote even application on the skin and enhanceSPF performance.

Natural plant and animal waxes may be added to the claimed formulationsas an additional hardening agent. Waxes are harder, more brittle, andhave higher melting points than fats. Common waxes added to cosmeticsinclude carnuba wax and beeswax. As an alternative, synthetic waxes suchas ethylene glycol diesters or triesters of long-chain (C18-C36) fattyacids offer functional alternatives. With melting points ranging between60-75° C., they can be used to confer a high degree of rigidity to sticksystems and to modify the product's crystallinity.

An common wax used in cosmetics is lanolin, a woolfat. Lanolin bearchemical and physical similarities to the stratum corneum lipids of theskin, which as mentioned above, prevent transepidermal water loss. Assuch, lanolin is frequently used as a skin emollient and moisturizingagent in cosmetics. Ethyoxylated lanolins have been found to beeffective in reducing the irritating effects of surfactants in detergentsystems and thus are frequently added to soaps.

Citric acid may be added to the claimed formulations to improveoxidative properties. Because citric acid is an effective chelatingagent, it serves to deactivate the catalytic activities of pro-oxidantmetals such as copper and iron that may be present in the formulation.

It is best to add anti-oxidants to the palm oil products of the presentinvention at the cooling stage after deodorization when the temperatureof the palm oil product is 120° C. or cooler. To avoid any causticeffects that may result from the acidic properties of citric acid, theanti-oxidant should be thoroughly dispersed within the palm oil product.

III. Amounts and Properties

The topical formulation of the claimed invention will be acosmeceutically acceptable topical formulation comprising a semi-solidadmixture of palm oil, palm olein, and palm stearin, wherein theformulation is substantially homogeneous and begins to liquefy at atemperature above 80° F., preferably 85° F., more preferably above 90°F., and most preferably above 95° F. The palm oil for use in theformulation may be selected from crude palm oil, RBD palm oil, NBD palmoil, chemically modified versions thereof, and mixtures of any of theforegoing. The preferred palm oil for use in the claimed formulations isRBD palm oil and chemically modified versions thereof. The chemicallymodified versions of RBD palm oil may be selected from RBD palm oil,interesterified RBD palm oil, transesterified RBD palm oil, partiallyhydrogenated RBD palm oil, partially alkoxylated RBD palm oil, andmixtures thereof, with RBD palm oil and interesterified RBD palm oilpreferred. The palm olein is selected from red palm olein, red palmsuper olein, red palm top olein, and mixtures thereof, with red palmsuper olein preferred. For the preparation of the cream formulation ofthe present invention, it is preferred to use palm stearin as the mainingredient to ensure that the formulation retains a semi-solidconsistency at room temperature.

To avoid hydrolysis, the preferred formulation will be substantiallywater-free. Further, as the preferred formulation is an all-naturalproduct, it will necessarily be free of synthetic additives. Asmentioned above, the formulation may contain additional oils, EFAs,natural waxes, and citric acid to enhance the antioxidant effects of theformulation or to improve the texture and consistency of theformulation. As previously mentioned, the preferred additional oils tobe added to the claimed formulations are evening primrose oil, borageoil, black currant oil, flaxseed oil, safflower oil, and wheat germ oiland the preferred EFAs to be added to the claimed formulations are α-and γ-linolenic acid with γ-linolenic acid being most preferred.

IV. Manufacturing Processes

The present inventors have found, surprisingly, that by votating RBD orNBD palm oil or RBD or NBD palm stearin, alone or in combination,together with a red palm olein, a homogeneous formulation results, whichhas all the benefits of the anti-oxidants found in crude palm oilwithout the formation of the crystallized materials or the deep redpigments that are inherent in the crude palm oil products. Votating isthe term used to describe the process for continuous chilling andcrystallizing of fats and oils using scraped-surface heat exchangers.Under the votating procedure, oils or fats are passed through a heatexchanger and rapidly chilled to the point of being supercooled. Theresulting crystallized product is extruded to form a creamy andhomogeneous blend. Commercial examples of votated fats include margarineand shortenings.

In a first embodiment of the present invention, there is provided abiocompatible, cosmeceutically acceptable topical formulation comprisinga votated blend of a palm oil and a red palm olein, wherein theformulation is substantially homogeneous. In this embodiment, theformulation may be in the form of a cream, lotion, sunscreen, soap, orany other form acceptable for use in a cosmeceutical context. While itis preferred that the product is an all natural product, the addition ofsynthetic additives may be added to the formulation if necessary. Also,if desired or necessary, the palm oil may be interesterified to tailorthe melting point of the formulation or to adjust the consistency sothat the formulation will dissolve readily into the skin; within thecontext of the present invention, interesterification does not alter thenatural state of the formulation. As mentioned above, theinteresterification process has the advantage of improving the epidermalEFA concentration of the resulting formulation. Although a lesspreferred fat-tailoring procedure to interesterification, theformulation may also be partially hydrogenated to increase the fractionof the solid phase, and/or partially alkoxylated to adjust the fluidityof the formulation. Hydrogenation, alone or together with alkoxylationhas the added advantage of increasing the oxidative and shelf-life ofthe resulting formulation.

In a second embodiment of the present invention, there is provided abiocompatible, cosmeceutically acceptable topical formulation comprisinga votated blend of: (a) approximately 85 wt. % to 99 wt. % of an RBDpalm stearin; (b) approximately 0.5 wt. % to 10 wt. % of a red palmolein; (c) approximately 0.5 wt. % to 5.0 wt. % of an additional oil;and optionally (d) approximately 0.5 wt. % to 5.0 wt. % of an individualfatty acid, wherein the formulation is substantially homogeneous,substantially free of crystallized components, and begins to liquefy ata temperature no lower than 80° F. In this embodiment, the resultingformulation is preferably a cream with a smooth homogeneous texture thathas a melting point at or above body temperature. As palm stearin has amelting point of 50-54° C. (122-129.2° F.), under this embodiment,interesterification of the RBD palm oil prior to fractionation shouldgenerally not be required to raise the melting point temperature of theformulation but may be used to tailor the consistency of the formulationif desired. As an alternative to interesterification to alter theconsistency of the formulation, different combinations of RBD palm hard,super, and soft stearin may be used.

In a third embodiment of the present invention, there is provided abiocompatible, cosmeceutically acceptable topical formulation comprisinga votated blend of: (a) approximately 85 wt. % to 99 wt. % of an RBDpalm oil; (b) approximately 0.5 wt. % to 10 wt. % of a red palm olein;(c) approximately 0.5 wt. % to 5.0 wt. % of additional oil; andoptionally (d) approximately 0.5 wt. % to 5.0 wt. % of an individualfatty acid, wherein the formulation is substantially homogeneous,substantially free of crystallized components, and begins to liquefy ata temperature no lower than 80° F. In this embodiment, the resultingformulation is preferably a lotion with a smooth homogeneous texturethat has a melting point at or above body temperature. Because palm oilhas a melting point of 33-39° C. (91.4-102.2° F.), to ensure that thelotion does not liquefy in a warm room but rather maintains a uniformconsistency throughout the formulation's shelf-life, interesterificationalone or in combination with partial hydrogenation and/or partialalkoxylation may be necessary.

In a fourth embodiment, there is provided a biocompatible,cosmeceutically acceptable topical formulation comprising a votatedblend of: (a) approximately 50 wt. % to 75 wt. % of an RBD palm oil; (b)approximately 24 wt. % to 35 wt. % of RBD palm stearin; (c)approximately 0.5 wt. % to 10 wt. % of a red palm olein; (d)approximately 0.5 wt. % to 5.0 wt. % of additional oil; and optionally(e) approximately 0.5 wt. % to 5.0 wt. % of an individual fatty acid,wherein the formulation is substantially homogeneous, substantially freeof crystallized components, and begins to liquefy at a temperature nolower than 80° F. In this embodiment, the resulting formulation ispreferably lotion with a smooth homogeneous texture that has a meltingpoint at or about body temperature. The melting point temperature ofthis formulation as well as the consistency and texture, are preferablyadjusted by altering the amount of RBD palm stearin in the formulation;however, as mentioned above, the structured lipid approaches ofinteresterification alone or in combination with partial hydrogenationand/or alkoxylation may also be used if desired.

Within the context of the claimed invention, it is understood that theclaimed palm oil may be crude palm oil, RBD palm oil, NBD palm oil orchemically modified forms thereof; the RBD palm oil may be replaced withNBD palm oil or chemically modified forms thereof; the red palm oleinmay be substituted with red palm super olein, or red palm top olein; andthe RBD palm stearin may be either RBD palm hard stearin, RBD palm superstearin, RBD palm soft stearin, or combinations thereof.

Each of the creams or lotions described above may be made into asunscreen through the addition of an appropriate compound having an SPF.As mentioned above, the addition of esterified fatty acids may assist inthe solubility of the sun protection compound into the cosmeceuticalformulation.

The formulation of the present invention may also be made into a soap byway of an alcoholysis reaction between palm oil and methanol(methanolysis) to produce palm oil fatty acid methyl esters. The methylesters may then by saponified to produce a soap containing all of theantioxidant benefits of the claimed cosmeceutical formulations.

V. Utility

The claimed formulations may be topically applied to the skin of anindividual in need of treatment for local skin conditions such asdryness, flakiness, hyperpigmentation, photodamaged skin, sunburn,windburn, irritation, itchiness (e.g., from a rash, an insect bite,etc.), roughness, and hardened skin (e.g., calluses). The claimedformulations may also be topically applied to the skin of an individualin need of treatment for inflammatory diseases such as sebaceous glanddisorders, e.g., acneiform disorders such as acne vulgaris, acnerosacea, and seborrhea; papulosquamous dermatoses such as psoriasis;autoimmune dermatoses such as discoid lupus erythematosus or systemiclupus erythematosus; and other inflammatory disorders, includingdermatoses manifested by eczema, e.g., eczematoid dermatitis. Inaddition to the foregoing, the claimed formulations are also effectivefor everyday uses such as for the care and treatment of diaper rash andchapped lips and for general moisturizing, softening, and improvingappearance of the skin. The claimed formulations are also used toimprove aging-related skin conditions, such as wrinkles, lines, loss ofskin elasticity, age spots, etc.

In practical terms, thus, the claimed invention may be used to increasethe recovery time associated with bruising, burns, and cuts; to thetrauma to skin associated with scab formation; to alleviate thediscomforts of scar tissue (such as the tightness associated withscarring); to reduce the discoloration of scar tissue; to alleviate theparched skin associated with chemotherapy and radiation treatment; toalleviate the redness and scaling associated with psoriasis andextremely dry skin (such as on elbows and the soles of the feet); and toalleviate the spreading and itching associated with eczema.

Because the claimed formulations contain a high percentage of carotenoidand vitamin E antioxidants, it is an effective vehicle for the deliveryof carotenoids and vitamin E tocotrienols and tocopherols to the skin ofan individual.

VI. Regimen

The claimed formulations may be applied to an individual's skin within aregion in which skin moisturization, softening, or soothing is desired.Such a region may be applied to the skin on the face, including thelips, or to a region that has been subjected to an insect bite. Theformulation may be applied on an as-needed basis or periodically over anextended period of time, such as at least once a day or once a week. Itis preferred to apply the cosmeceutical formulation of the presentinvention as frequently as possible.

For application of the formulation of the present invention to facialskin, the following regimen is preferred: cleanse face thoroughly with amild cleanser, apply a moderate layer of the cream formulation of thepresent invention, rinse face with hot water, rinse face withapproximately twelve splashes of ice water or very cold water, pat facedry, apply a thin layer of the cream formulation. For women, make-up maybe applied on top of the cream.

It is to be understood that while the invention has been described inconjunction with the preferred specific embodiments thereof, that thedescription above as well as the examples which follow are intended toillustrate and not limit the scope of the invention. Other aspects,advantages and modifications within the scope of the invention will beapparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains.

All patents, patent applications, and publications mentioned herein,both supra and infra, are hereby incorporated by reference in theirentireties.

VII. Experimental Example 1

The following ingredients are combined and votated to form a cream fortopical application to the skin:

INGREDIENT AMOUNT RBD Palm Stearin  95 wt. % Red Palm Super Olein   3wt. % Evening Primrose Oil 0.5 wt. % Safflower Oil 0.5 wt. % Wheat GermOil 0.5 wt. % γ-Linolenic Acid 0.5 wt. %

Example 2

The following ingredients are combined and votated to form a cream fortopical application to the skin:

INGREDIENT AMOUNT RBD Palm Stearin 95 wt. %  Red Palm Super Olein 1 wt.% Evening Primrose Oil 1 wt. % Safflower Oil 1 wt. % Wheat Germ Oil 1wt. % γ-Linolenic Acid 1 wt. %

Example 3

The following ingredients are combined and votated to form a cream fortopical application to the skin:

INGREDIENT AMOUNT RBD Palm Stearin   94 wt. % Red Palm Super Olein   5wt. % Evening Primrose Oil 0.25 wt. % Safflower Oil 0.25 wt. % WheatGerm Oil 0.25 wt. % γ-Linolenic Acid 0.25 wt. %

Example 4

The following ingredients are combined and votated to form a lotion fortopical application to the skin:

INGREDIENT AMOUNT RBD Palm Oil  72 wt. % RBD Palm Stearin  23 wt. % RedPalm Super Olein   3 wt. % Evening Primrose Oil 0.5 wt. % Safflower Oil0.5 wt. % Wheat Germ Oil 0.5 wt. % γ-Linolenic Acid 0.5 wt. %

Example 5

The following ingredients are combined and votated to form a lotion fortopical application to the skin:

INGREDIENT AMOUNT RBD Palm Oil 75 wt. %  RBD Palm Stearin 20 wt. %  RedPalm Super Olein 1 wt. % Evening Primrose Oil 1 wt. % Safflower Oil 1wt. % Wheat Germ Oil 1 wt. % γ-Linolenic Acid 1 wt. %

Example 6

The following ingredients are combined and votated to form a lotion fortopical application to the skin:

INGREDIENT AMOUNT RBD Palm Oil 91 wt. %  Red Palm Super Olein 5 wt. %Evening Primrose Oil 1 wt. % Safflower Oil 1 wt. % Wheat Germ Oil 1 wt.% γ-Linolenic Acid 1 wt. %Prior to votating, the RBD palm oil is interesterified to raise themelting point temperature of the RBD palm oil and if desired ornecessary, partially hydrogenated-alkoxylated to adjust the consistencyof the RBD palm oil and increase the oxidative stability and shelf-lifeof the resulting formulation.

Example 7

The following ingredients are combined and votated to form a sunscreenlotion with an SPF 15 for topical application to the skin:

INGREDIENT AMOUNT RBD Palm Oil 88 wt. %  Red Palm Super Olein 2 wt. %Octyl Methoxycinnamate 2.5 wt. %   Benzophenone 3 2.5 wt. %   EthylhexylHydroxystearate 1 wt. % Evening Primrose Oil 1 wt. % Safflower Oil 1 wt.% Wheat Germ Oil 1 wt. % γ-Linolenic Acid 1 wt. %Prior to votating, the RBD palm oil is interesterified to raise themelting point temperature of the RBD palm oil and if desired ornecessary, partially hydrogenated-alkoxylated to adjust the consistencyof the RBD palm oil and to increase the oxidative stability andshelf-life of the resulting formulation.

Example 8

The following ingredients are combined to form a soap:

INGREDIENT AMOUNT RBD Palm Oil 90 wt. %  Red Palm Super Olein 5 wt. %Evening Primrose Oil 2 wt %  Safflower Oil 1 wt. % Wheat Germ Oil 1 wt.% γ-Linolenic Acid 1 wt. %The mixture is votated then subjected to methanolysis followed bysaponification.

We claim:
 1. A biocompatible topical formulation comprising a votatedblend of a fractionated or unfractionated palm oil, or both, and a redpalm olein, wherein the formulation is at least 90% homogeneous; whereinthe palm oil represents approximately 90 wt. % to 99.5 wt. % of theformulation and the red palm olein represents approximately 0.5 wt. % to10 wt. % of the formulation; wherein the unfractionated palm oil isselected from the group consisting of crude palm oil, RBD palm oil, NBDpalm oil, and the fractionated palm oil is selected from the groupconsisting of RBD palm olein, RBD palm stearin, NBD palm olein, NBD palmstearin, chemically modified versions of any of the foregoing thereof,and mixtures of any of the foregoing; and wherein the formulation is forapplying to skin of a human.
 2. The formulation of claim 1, wherein theformulation is at least 90% water-free.
 3. The formulation of claim 1,wherein the formulation is at least 90% free of crystallized components.4. The formulation of claim 1, wherein the formulation is free ofsynthetic additives.
 5. The formulation of claim 1, wherein formulationbegins to liquefy at a temperature no lower than 80° F.
 6. Theformulation of claim 1, wherein the palm oil is RBD palm stearin.
 7. Theformulation of claim 1, wherein the palm oil is RBD palm oil andchemically modified versions thereof.
 8. The formulation of claim 7,wherein the palm oil is selected from RBD palm oil, interesterified RBDpalm oil, partially hydrogenated RBD palm oil, partially alkoxylated RBDpalm oil, and mixtures thereof.
 9. The formulation of claim 8, whereinthe palm oil is selected from RBD palm oil, interesterified RBD palmoil, and mixtures thereof.
 10. The formulation of claim 1, wherein thered palm olein is red palm super olein or red palm top olein.
 11. Theformulation of claim 10, wherein the red palm olein is red palm superolein.
 12. The formulation of claim 1, wherein the palm oil is RBD palmstearin and the red palm olein is red palm super olein.
 13. Theformulation of claim 1, further comprising an additional componentselected from additional oils, individual fatty acids, and combinationsthereof.
 14. The formulation of claim 13, wherein the additionalcomponent is an additional oil.
 15. The formulation of claim 14, whereinthe additional oil is selected from evening primrose oil, borage oil,black currant oil, flaxseed oil, safflower oil, wheat germ oil, andmixtures thereof.
 16. The formulation of claim 13, wherein theadditional component is an individual fatty acid.
 17. The formulation ofclaim 16, wherein the fatty acid is γ-linoleic acid.
 18. A method ofdelivering a carotenoid to the skin of a mammalian individual,comprising topically applying the formulation of claim 1 to theindividual's skin.
 19. A method for treating a skin condition comprisingtopically applying the formulation of claim 1 to the skin of anindividual in need of such treatment.
 20. The method of claim 18,wherein the skin condition is selected from dryness, flakiness,wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, photodamaged skin, sunburn, windburn,irritation, itchiness, roughness, and hardened skin.
 21. The method ofclaim 20, wherein the skin condition is an inflammatory dermatosis. 22.The method of claim 21, wherein the inflammatory dermatosis is acnevulgaris.
 23. The method of claim 21, wherein the inflammatorydermatosis is acne rosacea.
 24. The method of claim 21, wherein theinflammatory dermatosis is psoriasis.
 25. The method of claim 21,wherein the inflammatory dermatosis is eczematoid dermatitis.
 26. Themethod of claim 18, wherein the skin condition is diaper rash.
 27. Amethod for moisturizing the skin, comprising topically applying theformulation of claim 1 to an individual's skin within a region in whichskin moisturization is desired.
 28. A method for softening the skin,comprising topically applying the formulation of claim 1 to anindividual's skin within a region in which skin softening is desired.29. A method for treating chapped lips, comprising applying theformulation of claim 1 to the lips of an individual in need of suchtreatment.
 30. A method for soothing the skin, comprising topicallyapplying the formulation of claim 1 to an individual's skin within aregion in which soothing is desired.
 31. The method of claim 30, whereinthe region to which the formulation is applied contains an insect bite.32. A method for improving the appearance of facial skin, comprisingtopically applying the formulation of claim 1 to the facial skin of anindividual desirous of such improvement.
 33. A method for treating anaging-related skin condition, comprising topically applying theformulation of claim 1 to the skin of an individual in need of suchtreatment.
 34. The method of any one of claims 18, 19, 27, 28, 29, 30,32, and 33, wherein the formulation is applied on an as-needed basis.35. The method of any one of claims 18, 19, 27, 28, 29, 30, 32, and 33,wherein the formulation is applied at least once a day over an extendedtime period.